


Tonight, I Wanna Dance With You

by BookLover86



Category: In a Heartbeat (Short Film)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bullying, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I promise it's not as heavy as my usual stuff, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Light Angst, M/M, The story is happier than the tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-10 10:56:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11690190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookLover86/pseuds/BookLover86
Summary: “You seem a bit down. Are you okay?” Jonathan asked tentatively. He’d be an idiot not to notice the tension in Sherwin’s shoulders, the bags under his eyes, and the heavy way he carried himself when he walked. Sherwin gave him a weary smile that didn’t quite reach his uncharacteristically tired eyes. “Of course.” Jonathan narrowed his eyes and reached out to grasp the redhead’s hands in his own. “You do know that I can tell when you’re lying, don’t you? Tell me what’s wrong, and I’ll fix it.”





	Tonight, I Wanna Dance With You

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: I do not own, nor do I claim ownership of any of these characters, settings, names, etc. Title is from "Reasons" by Beth Crowley.

     Jonathan had no idea his life would turn out the way that it did. 

     He thought he would grow up to become something like a doctor or a lawyer or whatever his parents wanted him to be. He had no idea that he would end up being known as the “popular” kid in school by the time he got into seventh grade, and he definitely didn’t expect to be in a relationship by the end of it. A secret relationship, albeit, but a relationship nonetheless. 

     However, the big kicker—the one thing that he had  _ no _ way of knowing was going to happen—was who he was in a relationship with. 

     Sherwin had literally tumbled into his life and his heart with those ginger curls and nervous smiles. It wasn’t long until Jonathan was completely infatuated with redhead, and it helped that the feelings went both ways.  At first, he didn’t really think about being with another guy, but after Sherwin was kind of outed—which was just brushed off as a joke later—Jonathan realized that maybe, just maybe, Sherwin’s crush wasn’t one-sided. 

     From then on, whenever he was around the redhead, Jonathan felt weird. It wasn’t the kind of weird that he felt before a test, or when he stayed home sick. It was a… _ good _ kind of weird. A kind of weird that made his head feel light and dizzy, that made his heartbeat stutter, that made butterflies go crazy in his stomach. It was the kind that made him feel as if he was walking on air and nothing could bring him down. 

     Yet, the longer he felt like this, the farther away Sherwin was becoming. Sure, Jonathan had comforted him after the entire “outing” debacle, but they hadn’t really talked about their feelings since then. Something always came up and got in the way, whether it was Sherwin having to go to Scholars Bowl practice, or whether it was Jonathan needing to study for an upcoming test. For months, upon months, the two of them somehow managed to successfully avoid the topic of crushes and feelings, until it seemed like it was too late. 

     That night, about two weeks from the end of the school year, had been terrifying; Sherwin had left a voicemail on Jonathan’s home phone—his parents wouldn’t let him get a cellphone until eighth grade—saying that he was given an offer to skip eighth grade and go straight to high school, and that he had decided to take it. He would have to test out of some classes, so he would spend the next month doing just that. He was planning on accepting that offer tomorrow. If he did, that day would have been Sherwin’s last day of middle school. 

     He thanked Jonathan for being his friend, and then ended the message. He just ended the message as if the words he’d just spoken hadn’t ripped a hole right through Jonathan’s core. He ended the message as though he expected Jonathan to be okay, but Jonathan _ was not okay.  _

     He tried to dial Sherwin back, but the phone just went to voicemail. Jonathan ended up pacing his bedroom floor, tearing at his hair and sullenly mumbling. He wanted to go to Sherwin’s house and knock some sense into the redhead, but it was way past when he needed to go to bed. If he got caught sneaking out, he would surely get grounded for a week or two. 

     However, the thought of not being able to talk to Sherwin every day for the next year was absolutely heart-wrenching, and Jonathan would take a week of being grounded to an entire school year without him. So, he snuck out through his window and darted through fenceless backyards and shadowy gardens. Sherwin’s house was only a block from his, which meant that it would be quicker to get back before his parents saw he was missing. 

     Jonathan had been over to Sherwin’s house only a couple times, but he remembered the tour he had gotten the first time he was over. The “tour” consisted of Sherwin fumbling around his house and pointed at rooms, stuttering out their function. Thanks to this, he remembered roughly where Sherwin’s bedroom window was. It was on the first floor—thank goodness—and somewhere near the back. 

     Jonathan had quietly knocked on the window and prayed to every deity that existed that this was, indeed, Sherwin’s bedroom window. Someone must’ve listened to him, because the curtains peeled back slightly to reveal confused amber eyes and a cute little frown. This expression quickly morphed into horror mixed with surprise, emphasized by Sherwin backing away and tripping over his own feet. Jonathan smiled gently. He was so cute. 

     Once Sherwin had gotten his bearings, he opened his window slightly. “What are you doing here?” he hissed quietly. 

     “You wouldn’t answer your phone,” Jonathan whispered, a tiny smirk painted on his lips. 

     Sherwin frowned. “That’s because it’s almost eleven-thirty, and I need to get some sleep before I start studying tomorrow.” 

     Jonathan felt the smirk drop off his face. Oh. Right. “That’s why I came here.” 

     Sherwin tilted his head, confusion playing on his features. “Huh?” 

     “I don’t want you to start testing out of eighth grade.” Jonathan crossed his arms, but he didn’t let his face close off. Not yet. 

     Sherwin’s eyes cleared and he pursed his lips. “Oh, that.” 

     Jonathan scowled slightly. “Yeah, that.” 

     Sherwin sighed. “Look, we’ll still see each other. You have other friends besides me. It’s not like we’ll never talk to each other again.” 

     Jonathan let his scowl and eyes drop. “It’s won’t be the same, though.” 

     Sherwin shrugged, leaning on the windowsill. “Yeah, but we can make it work, can’t we?” 

     Jonathan looked up. Sherwin was smiling, which totally wasn’t fair. That smile did things to Jonathan’s heart that no defibrillator could ever hope to achieve. If he didn’t win this debate, then he wouldn’t see that smile for an entire school year. “I don’t want to make it work. I don’t want you to leave.” 

     Sherwin’s smile hardened into a scowl that didn’t sit right on his face. Sherwin’s face was made for soft expressions and quiet emotions; it wasn’t right from him to look hard or brash. Jonathan did not like it. “Why? For once, this is something I can do that puts me apart from everyone else. This is special to me! This makes me happy! Why don’t you want me to be happy?” 

     Jonathan held back the growl that was building in his throat in favor for make very sophisticated sputtering noises while waving his hands about. “It’s not that I don’t want you to be happy—“ 

     “Then  _ why _ are you trying to stop me?” Sherwin’s eyes were practically blazing fire, but the anger extinguished as quickly as it had come. He slumped against the window frame, looking weary and exhausted. “Why are you trying to stop me?” he repeated softly, eyes cast downwards.

     Jonathan hated that expression on Sherwin’s face even more. “Because I don’t want to wait another year to tell you how I feel." 

     Sherwin’s eyebrows drew together and he scrunched up his nose. “What?” 

     Jonathan took a deep breath and decided just to rip the bandage off. “I like you, Sherwin.” Sherwin’s eyes widened and his jaw began to drop, but Jonathan wasn’t done. “I like you as more than a friend, and I know you  _ used _ like me as more than a friend, and I don’t know if you’ve moved on, and I know that we didn’t really talk about it after everything happened that day, and I know that I might be too late, but I had to tell you before you made your choice, and—” 

     “Jonathan,” Sherwin cut him off quietly, an odd sort of light gleaming in his eyes. Whatever random mumbo-jumbo Jonathan was going to sprout next died on his tongue. He registered that he was heavily blushing somewhere in his mind, but that wasn’t very important right now. What was important was the soft smile that Sherwin was wearing, the fond expression painted across that adorable face of his. 

     The two of them stood there, staring into each other’s eyes, for quite a while. Well, that’s what it felt like for them. In reality, it had probably been about thirty seconds, but those thirty seconds lasted  _ centuries,  _ and Jonathan thought he had to have been immortal to last that long. 

     When they finally broke from the intense staring-contest they were having, Sherwin ducked his head down, fingertip idly tracing shapes on his windowsill. “Just so you know, yes.” 

     Jonathan was still recovering from his confession, so he didn’t quite understand what Sherwin was saying. “What?” 

     “That’s a yes to if I still like you as more than a friend,” Sherwin muttered. 

     Jonathan could see the blush on his cheeks even though his head was tilted downwards. He let his lips turn up into a smile. He had to say something to calm both of their nerves. It was all resting on him. “Cool beans.” 

     Smooth, Jonathan. Very smooth. 

     While he resisted the urge to bang his head into a cement brick, Sherwin chuckled lightly and lifted his head. “Yeah.” 

     The two sat in silence for a few more seconds, just enjoying each other’s company. “So, since we both like each other an all,” Jonathan began, scratching the back of his neck, “maybe we could hang out as more than friends?” 

     Sherwin’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “You mean a date?” 

     Jonathan let his hand drop, his cheeks once again flooding with heat and color. “Yeah. A date.” 

     “I’d like that,” Sherwin responded quietly. 

     Jonathan chuckled awkwardly. “Yeah. Great. Good.” Jonathan really needed to shut himself up. 

     Sherwin shook his head fondly before reaching to close his window. “We can talk about this tomorrow, when it’s not currently midnight.” 

     “Does that mean you’re not going straight to high school?” Jonathan blurted out. 

     Sherwin nodded, giving him another soft grin before closing his window. “Goodnight, Jonathan.” 

     “G’night, Sherwin.” Jonathan made his way back home, feeling as if he was walking on clouds the entire time. 

     If his parents noticed his little escapade, they didn’t mention anything the next morning.  Jonathan went to school like normal, met up with Sherwin like normal, only they both sported blushes as they recalled last night’s conversations. 

     Sherwin stayed in his grade, and they went on their first date three days after. 

     It was on a Friday; Jonathan took Sherwin to a movie and held his hand for the last half of the action film. They didn’t let their hands separate until their parents came to pick them up. To their family, it wasn’t a date—it was just two friends hanging out.  And those two friends began to hang out a  _ lot. _ They were inseparable at school and even more so out of it. 

     Both Jonathan and Sherwin agreed that they didn’t exactly care for labels like “boyfriend” and such. The only real reason they call themselves that generally was for their families. 

     About three months into their eighth grade year, Sherwin had begun to feel guilty about keeping their relationship a secret, so he asked Jonathan’s permission to tell his parents. Jonathan, of course, agreed immediately. He’d been thinking about talking to his parents and little sister as well, and Sherwin’s willingness to come out matched his. 

     They agreed that if both conversations went south, they would defend each other. Jonathan made a promise to Sherwin that nothing would make them break-up, and he meant it. 

     Luckily, both of their families immediately accepted them. Sherwin’s mother started to cry and bear-hug the two of them while his father took Jonathan aside and told him the consequences of hurting his son. Jonathan refused to repeat what he said to Sherwin, who had asked him why he was so pale after talking with his father. 

     By comparison, Jonathan’s parents had a more humorous mood about it. They kept straight faces until his father silently handed his mother a twenty-dollar bill. “You couldn’t have waited to tell us until you were in high school?” Jonathan had to drag Sherwin out of his living room as the redhead was laughing so hard he might’ve started to cry. 

     However accepting and loving their parents were, they both agreed not to tell anyone else at school. Jonathan had heard that someone in the grade above them had come out as gay in high school. The poor girl had to transfer schools because of how many death threats and beatings she got. Jonathan refused to let something like that happen to Sherwin, so he was adamant about keeping themselves a secret. 

     It worked for them, though. They worked well together, no matter how secret their affection was. It was rare to see Sherwin without Jonathan, and vice versa. However, even if they weren’t publically out, homophobia wasn’t the only issue in their school. This trend carried over to high school, where they were both in the middle of their ninth grade year. 

     Jonathan walked over to Sherwin’s house—they had a study date tonight—and rang their doorbell. Usually, Sherwin would come running to answer the door, lest his mother get there before him and bombard his partner with questions and food galore. 

     However, when Sherwin opened the door and welcomed him in, Jonathan could tell that something was wrong. Sherwin was slightly limping and he was avoiding all forms of contact, whether physical or emotional. He spoke in short phrases and focused almost entirely on his schoolwork.  S omething was wrong with the redhead, and Jonathan wanted to know what. 

     Sherwin twirled a pencil between his fingers, reading something on the page in front of him. “What’d you get for number twenty-se—” 

     “What’s wrong?” Jonathan interrupted. 

     Sherwin looked up, tilting his head in confusion. “Huh?” 

     “You seem a bit down. Are you okay?” Jonathan asked tentatively. He’d be an idiot not to notice the tension in Sherwin’s shoulders, the bags under his eyes, and the heavy way he carried himself when he walked. 

     Sherwin gave him a weary smile that didn’t quite reach his uncharacteristically tired eyes. “Of course.” 

     Jonathan narrowed his eyes and reached out to grasp the redhead’s hands in his own. “You do know that I can tell when you’re lying, don’t you? Tell me what’s wrong, and I’ll fix it.” 

     Sherwin’s smile didn’t waver, but he seemed to age five years. “It’s not something you can fix, Jonathan.” 

     “That sounds like a challenge,” Jonathan mumbled, trying to lighten the mood, but failing. 

     Sherwin searched his face for a bit before sighing and putting his notebook off to the side. “It’s really nothing. Just some guys at school. They, uh, decided to gang up on me during dodgeball today…” Jonathan raised an eyebrow, urging Sherwin to continue, “…and, after dodgeball.” 

     “What happened? Please tell me everything.” 

     Sherwin looked down, fiddling with Jonathan’s fingers. “They, uh, kept me after class for a…few minutes. Called me some names, punched me after they threw me into the lockers. Honestly, I’m lucky that I got out like I did. Some guys end up worse.” 

     Jonathan saw red. He wanted to hunt these guys down and hurt them for what they did to Sherwin, but he knew he couldn’t. He knew those guys would never get their just desserts for doing this. 

     Jonathan pulled Sherwin into a hug, careful to mind an angry-looking bruise, which was poking out of his collar. Sherwin looped his arms around Jonathan and took deep, shaky breaths. He began to shake, and Jonathan could feel warm drops fall onto his shoulder. 

     “I’m here. It’s okay,” Jonathan murmured over and over. 

     Sherwin continued to cry, and Jonathan began to run his fingers through the redhead’s curls. The two stayed like that for a long time, just enjoying each other’s warmth and adoration, before Sherwin’s hiccups and coughs grew more and more distant from each other. He pulled away from Jonathan, wiping his eyes with his sweater sleeve, and gave the other a watery smile. 

     Jonathan stood up, pulling Sherwin up with him, and moved them both to a part of the room where their school supplies weren’t scattered everywhere. He turned on the ancient radio that Sherwin insisted on keeping and fiddled with the stations until a soft tune began to play over the crackling speakers. 

     He looked back at Sherwin, who was looking more and more confused by the second, before putting one hand on Sherwin’s waist and grasping his hand with the other and pulling the redhead towards him. Sherwin yelped, his available hand flailing until it came to rest on Jonathan’s shoulder. 

     “What are you doing?” Sherwin asked, eyes darting back and forth. 

     Jonathan smirked. “Isn’t it obvious? Dancing.” 

     With that, he began to move them back and forth, back and forth, side to side. The two gently swayed and moved slowly around the small space they had. Sherwin practically melted, his head thumping onto Jonathan’s shoulder. Jonathan just hummed along to the song and moved his arm to encircle Sherwin’s waist, so that there was almost no space in between the two of them. 

     They danced around Sherwin’s room, feet shuffling to the piano ballad and mournful vocals. Song after song played, and they kept dancing. Some had fast tempos or weird topics, but the duo never broke their slow tempo. 

     “I might not be able to protect you all the time,” Jonathan breathed, right next to Sherwin’s ear, “but I promise that I will always stay with you. I will never,  _ ever _ abandon you. As long as you need me, I’ll be here. You’ve never been alone, Sherwin. I’ve always been by your side, and I always will be.”  Sherwin’s eyes began to get watery again, and Jonathan’s did too, but that didn’t matter.

    What mattered, was the little hole they’d carved for themselves in the space of time; this tiny little alcove where they could just hold each other and _be._

    What mattered were the words whispered against warm lips, the three words they repeated like a mantra to each other. Maybe it was too soon for that, but they didn’t care. 

     Jonathan’s life did not turn out like he ever thought it would, but he wouldn’t give it up for the world.

**Author's Note:**

> THEY'RE SO CUTE
> 
> So I've been waiting for "In A Heartbeat" to come out since F O R E V E R and I might or might not have screamed when it finally did. #bestfourminutesofmylife #yesijustdidthat #dealwithit (I'm so sorry). 
> 
> Anyway, if you haven't seen this already, what are you doing with your life??? It is literally the cutest, purest thing ever, and I'm sorry I had to ruin it a tiny bit, but I can't deny my angsty specialty. The dancing scene was definitely my favorite to write and I was grinning like a maniac while writing it. I love awkward boys slow dancing to songs at random times. 
> 
> Thank you guys so much for reading this. Please leave comments if you loved it or hated it. I love reading all types of comments. They either make my day or show me ways to improve.
> 
> BookLover86, Out! ;)


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